Gust
by BlueStarlightWarmDusk
Summary: In which Hope brings home a puppy, and this puppy meets Lightning at one of his most uncomfortable times. Rated K-plus for minimal language. From Gust's Point of view.


**A/N:~* This is my first genuine fanfiction, if you don't include the one I deleted; it is gone and I didn't enjoy writing it, therefore it isn't considered 'genuine' to me. I would greatly appreciate critisism that is harsh, but not insulting, for there is always room for improvement.  
I am not the best with first impressions, and I assure you that once you get to know me, I'm not as solemn as I may seem to be :) I need to at least be proper when greeting others who aren't fimiliar with me (at least, that's how I feel). As mentioned in my profile, my ways fluctuate, and I am a different person when unleashing my stories from my heart (as in, my stories, I hope, won't be as boring as I sound).  
This story is from Gust's point of view, and you will meet him in a moment. I truly hope he leaves a paw on your soul, or at least appeals to you... **

I whined as I scratched on the door of my kennel._ Please Hope! Let me out! I really have to pee! _

He carried me inside my kennel into the small kitchen of his house, and then set my kennel on the oakwood kitchen table. He then opened the kennels' door. For a moment, I thought he'd let me out,into this new, interesting world, and then I could express to him my need. But I knew he didn't comprehend the true meaning of my whining. I am a dog, and to him, whining meant that I was scared.

"It's okay Gust. It's alright." Hope said to me. He reached into my kennel and patted my head. I knew he was trying to reassure me, the way he had when he was driving me to his dwellings from the animal shelter, but I had to object.

_NO! No, it's not okay, Hope! Nature is calling me! I must obey, or... or I'll soil your floor! _I wanted to say. But it came out as "Bark-bark! _Whine_... Grrr!"

"Shh! Gust, stay quiet boy! You're supposed to _surprise_ her!" Hope tried to calm me down again.

_I don't think whoever this _'her'_ is will take a big, wet yellow spot on her clothing or floor as a surprise! _But again, it came out as only dog noises: "Bark! Grr!"

I heard Hope sigh. He then looked me in the eye through the door of my kennel. His emerald eyes were soft and pleading and sincere, and his features were full of worry. "Gust, please, _please_ be quiet. I'll let you out in a minute, buddy. I just... don't want you to give her a bad first impression. She's kind of ...strict. And I know _for sure_ that she won't like a noisy dog. Just... please Gust? Be a good boy?" He begged.

I scowled at him, then said as softly as I could, "_You know what? I'll do that! I can be quiet! But I have the bladder of a baby... I am a baby! And because of that, I don't think she'll get this good first impression you want._ _Dammit. If only I could speak human." _Tail-wag_, "_Grr, bark_, whine,_ sigh"_._

Hope smiled. "Thank you, Gust."

"Snort"._ Whatever._

Then, he walked off to retrieve... whoever this 'her' was.

Whilst I waited, I tried to think of other things besides nature's call. '_You are a Schipperke, Gust.' _I thought to myself,_ 'Small, but powerful. In fact, that's why Hope called you Gust, because 'Gust' is defined as "a sudden, powerful burst of wind". That's right, I could knock over houses if I wanted to! That means I can definitely hold it for a little while longer! I am Gust! Powerful! Mighty... Small but powerful ...puppy..._

_Small but powerful urge to go outside and just let it all out! _I growled. Then I whined again. _Come on, Hope. For Bone-Creator's sake, let me out of here... Please? Hope, I'm dying here!_

Finally, I decided to sit down. I began to shiver, feeling the 'downpour' of nature's call approaching, relentless and quick._ But you know what? It would be a lot better to let it out in the kennel rather than let it out all over... _

_Dear Bone-Creator, here they come. I don't think I can last through the greetings._

I watched as Hope came into the kitchen from the small hallway that led to he and his mate's room. She's shorter than him, but she looks to be in her late twenties, and he in his late teens year or early twenties. He stopped when he was right in front of the kitchen table. "Okay, Light. You can open your eyes now." I heard him say at last.

And she did open her eyes, her eyes that pierced into my poor little soul through her strawberry locks. It startled me thoroughly. Was hair supposed to be strawberry colored? She looked so serious soldier-like, as if she was going to inspect me! I'd never seen anyone like her before! She was scary! I shook, I whined, but I willed myself to hold it in just a little while longer, to keep strong against the ever-growing... Or so I thought. I barked and growled when she came closer.

_No, NO! Stay away! I will relieve myself all over you if you pick me up! Stay back! BACK I SAY! _"BARK, BARK! GRR! BARK, BARK-BARK! BARK!"

"It's okay, Gust! It's okay!" Hope told me. He looked frantic and scared. "He's not really that bad of a dog, Claire. I don't know what's-"

_Ah, so that's your name... Claire._

"Hope, I can handle this," she said.

_Oh no..._

She stood in front of my kennel and _looked_ at me, piercing into my soul again. She didn't smile at me, she glared at me. It was even scarier than her first appearance! She looked so solemn, so scary... So "Now you be a good boy, and there won't be any serious consequences". And who knew what those _consequences_ would be with a person like her there to execute them!

And I couldn't take it. A wave of fear splashed over me, and nature took over against my will. I stood up and shivered when I was done, and then slowly backed against the rear-wall of my kennel. I knew it wasn't the time, and it definitely was not the person to do it in front of, but I was just so terrified. Hope looked thoroughly frightened. I knew I'd done wrong, I truly did! And then I looked to see Claire... smiling?

"At least you know who your master is," she said, "And now we're going to fix your little problem there so that you don't do what you just did, on the floor."

I was thoroughly stunned. When I looked back at Hope, I saw him sigh in relief. I thought she should have "ew"-ed in disgust, or been mad at me, at least! I thought she would have turned around and yelled at Hope, and told him to get rid of me for a new dog. But... she didn't. She'd handled it so opposite of how I thought she would. Her smile and the way she handled it; both of those things combined changed my opinion of her instantly.

No longer was she scary and solemn. She no longer had much of a soldier-like appearance (albeit it still existed). She was the most awesome being I knew, and I admired her.

She opened the kennel, reached in and grabbed me, then cradled me against her chest. I licked her face, and she smiled. She then turned to Hope and, with me still cradled in one arm, walked to him, and then she hugged him.

"I like him a lot, Hope," she said sincerely. "We'll have to train him, though."

Hope smiled. "Yeah, I figured."

She kissed him on the cheek. "I... thank you, Hope."

"I love you too, Light."

_Me too! _"Bark!"

We were one small, happy family. And later on, when I figured out she also went by "Lightning", I had an even greater appreciation of her. Lightning could be scary, but Lightning was also beautiful in her own unique way. Once you got to know Lightning, she was truly an amazing person who stood up to the meaning of her nickname.


End file.
